Collado admits resistance to ordering the East zone

Tourism Minister David Collado has bluntly admitted that the territorial planning for Bávaro, Verón and Punta Cana was never going to be a walk in the park. He put it plainly, in that frank style that has become his trademark: "We knew it would not be easy to order the East zone given all the interests involved". The statement, reported by Arecoa, confirms that MITUR has its foot on the accelerator in one of the country's most complex fronts, where hotels, residential developments, businesses and relentless urban pressure all coexist.

The plan is not a whim. The East zone holds a large share of the country's hotel supply and generates tax revenue and jobs that sustain entire provinces. Ordering that territory means setting clear rules for land use, tourism activity and coexistence between resorts and the community. Resistance is logical: touching consolidated interests always raises hackles. But the minister has made it clear, it is a priority.

The reading is simple. An ordered territory attracts better investment, not worse. It gives legal certainty to builders, protects the destination from saturation and improves the visitor experience. The challenge is huge, yes, but so is the opportunity: Punta Cana and Bávaro can become the example of how to grow without chaos. The sector now has the chance to prove that order does not slow business down, it makes it more profitable and lasting.